as in double
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
there was a Janus-faced quality to the interview: for all of the smiling and nodding, the interviewer's body language expressed deep boredom
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Janus-faced
Adjective
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Haaland scored from the spot to secure City’s first victory in front of supporters at Anfield since 2003 and their first league double over Liverpool since 1936-37.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026 -
The top two seeds for the eight-team conference tournament receive double-byes into the semifinals, a significant advantage in a league that typically sends only its tournament champ to the 68-team NCAA Tournament.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The agency allegedly used Bank of America accounts to lure young women with fake modeling offers, while financial records suggest the bank was aware of these suspicious connections, according to plaintiff’s claims.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Some guests got very into it—one adopted a fake British accent for the duration.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tatianna points to cinnamon as a conductor of heat—one commonly used in lip plumper products to achieve a sultry pout.—
Essence,
Essence,
23 Nov. 2025
-
The pop of color offers a shimmer-free (rare!) means of warming up a wedding look and works equally well at lip level.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As Derya and Aziz’s hypocrisies, as upper-class intellectuals, are increasingly brought to the fore, Namal and Biçer’s conversational performances grow haggard and strained.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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Gregg Phillips, an associate administrator at FEMA, said at a hearing this week that its disaster relief fund has sufficient balances to continue emergency response activities during a shutdown, but would become seriously strained in the event of a catastrophic disaster.—
Mary Clare Jalonick,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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An about-face a few years down the line might look hypocritical in light of the new Super Bowl ad the company is releasing to highlight its announcement.—
Dominic Preston,
The Verge,
4 Feb. 2026
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Fellow Democrats Tony Thurmond and Antonio Villaraigosa attack Swalwell and Porter as hypocritical, pointing to their own stricter stances on federal immigration enforcement.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Unlike body composition metrics, BMI obscures the true extent of metabolic dysfunction and cannot distinguish between muscle and fat — or between superficial fat and the visceral fat that drives diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions.—
Bret Scher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
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After he was taken into custody, he was found to be bleeding from his hand and had several superficial cuts on his stomach.—
Patrick Damp,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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If the split happens in the middle of the tree trunk, what's left looks hollow and shredded, resembling an explosion.—
Tammie Souza,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
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These are alt-sodas sweetened with monk fruit, which has a hollow sweetness that leaves my tongue itchy.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Janus-faced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Janus-faced. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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